TEST BENCH FOR WEB
FULL LAB RESULTS:

Color temperature (Warm/Custom mode before/after calibration)
Low window (30-IRE): 5,681/6,595 K
High window (80-IRE): 5,672/6,590 K
Brightness (100-IRE window before/after calibration): 37.9/33.4 ftL

The HP md5880n 58-inch DLP HDTV's Warm color-temperature preset showed a distinct red bias during testing, but the red, green, and blue gain controls in its user-accessible Picture menu let me adjust the grayscale tracking to more closely adhere to the 6,500-K standard. Afterward, grayscale tracking was ±200 degrees Kelvin from 20 to 100 IRE, which is very good performance. (Calibration needs to be performed by a qualified technician, so discuss it with your dealer before purchase, or call the Imaging Science Foundation at 561-997-9073.)

Like many rear-projection TVs, the HP md5880n's maximum light output (with brightness and contrast cranked up) measured very high — about 124 footlamberts with the Normal preset selected. Accordingly, the pre-calibration brightness figure listed above was taken in a dim environment after I adjusted the brightness and contrast controls with test patterns.

Picture geometry was slightly off, with vertical bowing visible on crosshatch patterns. That effect was rarely apparent on regular programs, however.

Color decoder error measured –10 red through both the HDMI and component-video inputs — a dip that made me want to increase the set's color saturation even at the expense of some accuracy in the green. I eventually settled on a compromise setting that provided decent color saturation with relatively accurate green. Overscan was 2% for both the HDMI and component-video inputs with the TV's "Studio" display mode selected and was about 4% when the regular widescreen 16:9 mode was active. Screen uniformity was excellent at viewing angles up to 30º — a pretty rare achievement for a rear-projection TV. The HP md5880n's picture resolution was also excellent, with every line in a 1080i-format multiburst pattern coming through via both its HDMI and component-video inputs.

If you liked this article, you might enjoy the following:

Special Report: DLP vs. LCoS
HP Pavilion 65-inch DLP HDTV
HDTV Resource Center
HDTV Buyer's Guide

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